Cottage Rental Holidays in western Ireland

06/04/2011

Ballyvaughan Village and Country Holiday Homes in North County Clare, Ireland are an ideal base from which to discover the natural wonders of the west coast. Located in a courtyard off the Main Street in Ballyvaughan village, you can escape to the Burren, the Cliffs of Moher and the Aran Islands during the day and wind down with a choice of restaurants and pubs in the evening - the perfect cottage rental holiday!

Each cottage is detached and comes with a private garden. Accommodating up to six adults, weekly cottage rental rates vary from 310 euros to 799 euros. You can avail of a ten percent discount if you pay in full when booking a cottage for June or later in the year.

An online car rental form can be completed on the Ballyvaughan Village and Country Holiday Homes website.

The Burren

The Burren is an area of limestone rock in Co. Clare that feels like walking on the moon, with colourful wildflowers contrasting with the rock. The poet, Michael Longley, lists the Burren wildflowers in his poem 'The Ice-Cream man.'

A day trip to the Burren Eco Centre includes a short film, a light lunch and a guided walk for the afternoon.

Cliffs of Moher

The Cliffs of Moher stretch for eight kilometres along Co. Clare's coastline and are home to a large colony of protected seabirds, including Puffins, Guillemots, Razorbills, Kittiwakes, Fulmar, Chough and Peregrine Falcons. The Cliffs of Moher Visitor Centre run guided walks along the cliff with information on the seabirds. The Atlantic Edge exhibition in the Centre has interactive displays and tickets can be booked online. Apart from the Atlantic Edge tour, there is a restaurant, coffee shop, gift shop and crafts shops at the Centre.

Aran Islands

A stay in Co. Clare wouldn't be complete without a trip to the Aran Islands. There are three islands - Inis Mor (the big island), Inis Meain (the middle island) and Inis Oirr (the east island.) Inis Oirr is the smallest of the Aran Islands with an area of approximately two square miles or just over five square kilometres. It is the closest island to the Clare coastline. Doolin 2 Aran Ferries run day trips to each of the islands, as well as combination trips. The six kilometre ferry crossing from Doolin to Inis Oirr takes approximately 30 minutes.

From your cottage rental base in Ballyvaughan, other places to go include the Aillwee Caves, the Burren Perfumery and the Aloha Surf School, as well as dolphin watching at Loop Head and walking a stretch of the 123 kilometre walking trail known as the Burren Way.